Stone masons have been called in to inspect part of St Magnus Cathedral in Orkney, days before it will be at the centre of the commemorations for the Battle of Jutland.

A section of sandstone surrounding a stained glass window high in the south transept fell off overnight.

The cathedral is scheduled to be the venue for Battle of Jutland commemorations on Tuesday, with many dignitaries due to attend.

It is thought that a section of the stonework fell about 70ft to the ground between Saturday and Sunday.

Those attending the Battle of Jutland event on Tuesday will include the Duke of Edinburgh and Prime Minister David Cameron.

A new composition by the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies is to be revealed at the commemorations.

Sir Peter, who died in March this year at his home on Orkney, composed The Golden Solstice to honour those who served at sea during the First World War.

Commissioned by the UK Department for Culture, it will be performed by the Choir and Organist of St Magnus Cathedral in the Orkney Islands.

The Golden Solstice will form part of a commemorative service at the Cathedral attended by Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, The Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, descendants of those who served at the Battle of Jutland, and local residents.

The events will include a morning service on 31 May at St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, followed by a ceremony at the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery at Hoy, where over 400 Commonwealth and German sailors from the First World War are buried.

The German President will be joined by serving members of the German Navy and two German Navy frigates, one of which will join a British ship to drop poppies and forget-me-nots in the seas off Jutland Bank.

The Battle of Jutland was the most significant naval engagement of the First World War.

More than 100,000 sailors were involved in the battle, on 250 ships.

More than 6,000 Royal Navy and 2,500 German sailors were killed.

The Battle of Jutland was fought between 31 May – 1 June 1916.

During the war, the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet was based at Scapa Flow.